Near Retirees Being Targeted by Imposter Social Security Administrators

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General sent a warning to workplaces Friday that hybrid scams are on the rise and employees should be aware of messages from imposter Social Security Administration employees.

Scammers’ tactics include using fake Amazon or PayPal tech support emails and text messages to connect people with an imposter SSA employee; that person will try to convince users that their Social Security number or record was compromised, according to the inspector general’s alert.

The initial email or text message typically claims that something is wrong with an individual’s Amazon or PayPal account. While trying to fix the alleged issues, the scammer states that in searching the person’s computer, they found other problems, mainly with their Social Security number. The scammer then offers to assist the person by transferring them to someone pretending to be with the SSA.

“This type of ‘long con’ is particularly heinous; other agencies refer to these scams as ‘pig butchering’ because they are designed to drain you of all your resources,” said Anthony Monaco, special agent in charge at the Social Security Administration, in a statement.

This sort of “hybrid scam” is, according to the inspector general’s office, part of a new trend in which scammers develop confidence over time.

These scammers also often leverage detailed information they have gathered on their targets, who are typically of Social Security retirement age. The scam often ends with an in-person meeting with an individual who is either part of the scheme or an unsuspecting participant, such as an Uber driver, during which the target is asked to turn over gold, cash, a crypto wallet or some other currency for “keeping” at the direction of an imposter SSA OIG federal agent.

An incident occurred in April when a woman in Ohio liquidated more than $500,000 in retirement savings to buy gold and gave it to scammers who showed up to her house after a similar “long con” involving SSA and other government imposters.

According to the SSA, Social Security employees do contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency will call people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, are already receiving payments and require an update to their record or have requested a phone call from the agency.

If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, the SSA will typically mail a letter.

More information on signs a scam is occurring and tactics scammers use can be found on the SSA website.